This property has a documented history as a industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1920. Historical insurance policies issued during operations at this property and through 1986 could fund a cleanup — and recover costs already spent.

Why Historical Insurance Policies May Be Accessible

Pre-1986 Commercial General Liability (CGL) policies were occurrence-based and did not contain an effective pollution exclusion in Washington. If contamination occurred while those policies were active, those historical insurance carriers may still have a legal obligation to fund the cleanup costs, even if the business closed or the property changed hands.

Petroleum contamination at this site originated from underground storage tanks installed beginning in 1952 — more than three decades before occurrence-based CGL policies gave way to claims-made forms with absolute pollution exclusions. The presence of lead in soil and groundwater points to releases of leaded gasoline during an era when those policies carried no effective pollution exclusion under Washington law. Decades of documented remediation expenditures and a cleanup horizon stretching years into the future represent costs that historical carriers may be obligated both to reimburse and to continue funding.

Restorical's role is to locate viable historical policies, determine whether a successful coverage claim is possible, and assist our clients and their legal counsel to obtain insurance coverage. Restorical then manages the claim, including accounting, to ensure the cleanup is funded in a timely manner.